Composition for insecticidal or fungicidal use and method of preparing the same



Patented Oct. 29, 1935 PATIENT OFFICE COMPOSITION FOR INSECTTCIDAL onFUN- GICIDAL use AND METHOD or marm- ING THE SAME John F. Littooy, SanFrancisco, and Frank Floyd Lindstaedt, Oakland, Caliih, asslgnors toHercule's Glue Company, a corporation of California No Drawing.Application August 26, 1930, Serial No. 477,980

11 Claims. 01. 161-42) Our invention relates to compositions forinsecticidal, fungicidal or similar use; and it is the broad object ofour invention to enhance the deposit of toxic substance on objectstreated therewith.

also termed an oleaginous material herein.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a preparation forinsecticidal or the like use, which may be employed in aqueous spraycompositions to enhance, on objects sprayed, the deposit of the toxicsubstance dispersed or suspended in the liquid spray, or which may beused in dry form for dusting on objects and to enhance toxic deposit.

This is a continuation in part of the applicaplication of one of usfiled June 7, 1928, Serial No. 283,738.

The invention possesses numerous other objects and features ofadvantage, some of which, withthe foregoing, will be set forth in thefollowing description of our invention. It is to be understood that wedo not limit ourselves to this disclosure of species of our invention,as we may adopt variant embodiments thereof within the scope of theclaims.

To prevent the damage or destruction of fruit and other vegetation byinsects and parasites, toxic compositions, such as those comprisingwater and an insecticide and/ or fungicide dispersed therein, areemployed. Also such compositions may be employed for dusting purposeswithout dispersion in water. It is the practice to disperse or suspendin the aqueous spray composition, spreaders for the purpose of effectinga uniform coverage on the objects sprayed. It is obvious that, duringthe spraying or dusting, considerable quantity of toxic substance islost due to its failure to take hold readily on the objects. This iscaused, to a great extent,.by reason of the fruit or other vegetationhaving a waxy or repellant surface which sheds the toxic substance.

The. method and composition of our invention is designed to obviate thedescribed difficulty, by enhancing the deposit of insecticide orfungicide, per unit area, on the objects sprayed or dusted. This makesit possible to use lesser quantities of the toxis substance, and stillgive as effective toxic deposit, than would be the case if the methodand composition of our invention were not employed, thus effectingconsiderable economy.

In terms of broad inclusion, our invention comprises efi'ecting athorough mixture of the insecticide ,or fungicide with an unctuousmaterial In the case of an aqueous spray, this may be done either bythoroughly mixing a suitable quantity of toxic substance while dry withthe unctuous material, and then dispersing a suitable quantity of suchmixture in the water, together with a suitable spreaderf or bythoroughly mixing the unctuous material with the spreader prior to dis-15 persion in the spray liquid, to which the toxic substance may beadded. In the case of dusting compositions the toxic substance may bemixed with the unctuous material in any suitable manner. 10

If desired, the unctuous material spreader and toxic substance may beadded separately to the water in the spray tank, and the mixing effectedwhen these materials are dispersed in the Water according to usualpractice. Also, the spreader, toxic substance, and unctuous material maybe mixed together in powdered or substantially dry form prior todispersion in the water. i v

For the purpose of illustrating one embodimen of the manner in which ourinvention may be performed, we choose an arsenical, such as powdered andsubstantially dry lead arsenate, and a spreader, such as powdered andsubstantially dry lime-casein mixture comprising about 80% by weight ofhydrated lime and 20% by weight of casein. It has heretofore been thepractice to disperse thoroughly about V to 1 lb. of the spreader andfrom 2 to '7 lbs. of lead arsenic in the spray water, per 100 gallons ofwater. The

resultant composition is then sprayed on the fruit or other vegetation,while dispersed.

We have found that by thoroughly mixing an unctuous material, such asmineral oil, with either the powdered spreader or the powderedarsenical, or a mixture thereof to form a homogeneous mixture, the toxicdeposit per unit area is enhanced when these ingredients are dispersedin the spray water and sprayed on the fruit or other vegetation whiledispersed. Although the most satisfactory results are obtainedbythoroughly mix- 40 ing the substantially dry compound for insecticidaluse with the unctuous material, satisfactory results may be obtained byadding the ingredientsv directly to the spray waterand effectingthorough mixing in the water when the ingredients jects sprayed. Forexample, when spraying apples,"relatively large quantities of unctuousmaterial should be used, because of the extremely waxy surface of suchfruit. In some instances, where the fruit or other vegetation tobesprayed is exceptionally waxy, as high as 20% of unctuous material byweight of toxic substance may be used.

It is thought that the toxic deposit is enhanced per unit area of objectsprayed, due to the fact that the unctuous material is absorbed and/orunctuous material may be employed with satisfactory results. Calciumarsenate, Paris green,

Bordeaux mixture, suitable fluosilicates and nicotine may be used in themanner described. Also a fungicide, such as calcium monosulfide, may beemployed. Other spreaders, besides the limecasein mixture, may be used,such as powdered glue, blood albumen, and powdered rosin.

For the mineral oil any suitable unctuous material may be used instead,or in any suitable mixtures. For example, a suitable vegetable oil, suchas cotton seed oil, or a suitable animal oil, such as fish oil, will actin a satisfactory manner. The unctuous material need not be a true oil,but may be a grease or fat, or any material containing greases, fatsand/0r oils. For instance whole rich milk, condensed milk, powderedmilk, powdered skimmed milk, and soy bean meal may be mixed in themanners described.

Inasmuch as we have found that the unctuous material need not be a trueoil or fat, but may be a substance containing natural oils, advantage ofthis is taken in the preparation of ourpreferred composition. One of thebest types of spreaders is a lime casein mixture in the proportionspreviously set forth. 'It has been discovered by us that if, in place ofthe casein, another protein relatively high in unctuous material contentis employed, a composition having the property of a spreader andcontaining sumcient unctuous material to provide the resultscontemplated is produced.

An effective spreader composition comprises a thorough mixture of soybean flour about by weight, powdered skimmed milk about 15% by weightand hydrated lime about 80% by weight. It is abvious that the quantitiesof hydrated lime and protein may be varied in the mixture, as is wellknown to those skilled in the art, and that lime or any other suitablealkali may be used in place of hydrated lime. Also, additional unctuousmaterial may be employed in the mixture, if so desired.

Instead of a mixture of soy bean flour and powdered skimmed milk, otherproteins or protein carrying substances relatively high in unctuousmaterial content may be used. The amounts of soy bean flour and powderedskimmed milk may be varied in proportions obvious to those skilled inthe art.

The toxic substance may be thoroughly mixed with the preferredcomposition prior to dispersion of these substances in the spray water;or, if desired, the mixture of the unctuous spreader and toxic substancemay be efiected in the spray water, as previously explained.

We have found that to 1 lb. of the preferred spreader composition and 2to 7 lbs. of the toxic substance, dispersed in 100 gallons of spraywater suitable for most purposes. However, the quantity of spreaderand/or toxic substance may be varied according to well known practice,depending upon the character of fruit or other vegetation 5 to betreated.

One of the interesting results which we have found, is that in the casewhere an-insecticide' or the like composition, such as lead arsenate orBordeaux mixture, is employed, and the unctuous 10 material is mixedwith the insecticide or the like, the use of spreaders may not benecessary. This is so, since the unctuous material itself performs thefunction of increasing the toxic deposit per unit .area, as well asaiding the toxic substance to be retained on the surface, for a longerperiod than would be the case if the unctuous material were notemployed. I

In the case of dusting materials, we have found that the unctuousmaterial may be mixed in any suitable manner and in any suitableproportions with the toxic substance, or with any of the othersubstances going into the dusting composition. It is to be noted that inthe compositions of our invention, the unctuous material is inrelatively small quantities, thus acting for the purposes described,instead of as an insecticide'or thelike per se.

We claim:'

1. A spreader for insecticidal or the like use comprising a thoroughmixture of lime, soy bean flour, and skimmed powdered milk.

2. A spreader for insecticidal or the like use comprising athorough-mixture of hydrated lime about 80% by weight, and a proteinrelatively high in non-metallic oleaginous material content about 20% byweight.

3. A composition comprising a uniform and relatively dry mixture of atoxic substance for insecticidal or the like use and a non-metallicoleaginous material, said toxic substance constittuting the majorportion of said mixture, said oleaginous material being present in anamount insufficient to have any substantial emciency as an insecticideper se, or to reduce the efiicacy of said toxic substance.

4. A composition for insecticidal and like use comprising a toxicsubstance and a non-metallic oleaginous material mixed therewith andcomprising from about ,4 to 20% by weight of said toxic substance. 5.- Acomposition for insecticidal and like use comprising a toxic substanceand a spreader mixed therewith, said spreader including an alkalineearth material, a protein, and a non-metallic oleaginous material asskim milk, said oleaginous material being present in an amount less than20% of said toxic substance.

6. A composition for insecticidal and like use comprising a toxicsubstance, a spreader therefor, and a non-metallic oleaginous materialpresent in an amount not exceeding 20% by weight of said toxicsubstance.

7. A spray composition comprising a fluid mixture including about 100gallons-of water, 2 to about 7 pounds of a toxic substance and a poundor less of a spreader, said spreader including a non-metallic oleaginousmaterial inan amount less than 20% of the weight of the toxic substance.

8. The method of enhancing the deposit of a toxic substance sprayed onan object which comprises thoroughly dispersing in water said toxicsubstance and an oleaginous material. said material being present in anamount less than 20% of said substance by weight, and spraying theresultant composition while thus dispersed.

9. A spreader consisting essentially of a uniform and relatively drypowdered mixture 0! an alkaline earth material, a protein and anon-metallic oleaginous material.

10. A spreader consisting essentially of a uniform and relatively drypowdered mixture of an alkaline earth material, a. protein, and powderedmilk.

11. A spreader consisting essentially of a uniform and relatively drypowdered mixture of an alkaline earth material, powdered casein, andpowdered milk.

JOHN F. LI'I'IOOY. FRANK FLOYD LINDSTAEDT.

